Carl Schaefer wrote:Hello fellow Westsailors,
I need to remove my companionway hatch beause a stainless slider needs adjusting.
It's not staying in the teak track. I need to drill slots in the sliders for a tighter squeeze.
Do I need to bend a phillips screwdriver or is there a tool to buy?
Thanks,
Carl
Carl,
I recently had to tackle the same problem. Sometimes it's difficult to tell what was original installation and what was botched by a previous owner. The slides on my companionway hatch were very loose as well, which made it almost impossible to open and close the hatch. The following photo shows how my sliders were made, with two short strips of 2" stainless plate as slides.
Original mounting plates
Is this how yours was done? If so, you're probably having the same problems I experienced. Having 2 short plates makes it extremely difficult to keep them fastened tightly. Using screws to attach them makes it even worse. And having only two screws on each section... worse yet. Even if they were to stay in place, a good douse of green water over the bulwarks would have run right under the hatch and into the cabin, passing between the two strips.
The solution I used was to replace the two short strips (on each side) with one long strip, the entire length of the hatch (about 35" each, as I recall). I removed the two side pieces of teak to which they were fastened and replaced them with thicker pieces. I also added another piece on the opposing side of the fiberglass to increase the strength. Then, rather than using screws, I drilled and place 5 threaded inserts (on each side) that were threaded for 1/4" x 20 bolts. I inserted four nylon slides (cut from a cutting board) at each point that would come in contact with the main top track, IF they ever loosened up. The nylon slides do not come in contact with the trop track as long as the stainless slides are in place
The result was:
1) A much stronger attachment
2) Greatly reduced likelihood of coming loose
3) Easier to remove/replace, if I need to
3) No gap for water to get in during really nasty weather
4) The hatch now slides like a knife through warm butter!
5) Won't destroy the varnished teak if it does get loose (it won't)
I forgot to take a photo of the track, once it was installed. But in the last photo you can see it laying in the background, behind where I am inserting the 1/4-20 threaded insert. (The 1/4" bolt and nut were only used to assure a straight entry into the wood.) If I take the hatch off again, I'll try to remember to get the photos I missed.
Preparing the new mounts
Nylon slides added (just in case)
Reinforced mounting bases (with old slide)
Refinishing the companionway teak
1/4" - 20 threaded inserts with bolt/nut for driving in
Driving in the 5 threaded inserts per side
